


First Thanksgiving

by kronette



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 12:39:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16702738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kronette/pseuds/kronette
Summary: Because of a text from @alixsinclair-emt, this little gem was written tonight. Based roughly on A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, this is the Hannibal version. Destroying childhood memories one story at a time, Patty invites herself and some friends to Will's for Thanksgiving dinner.





	First Thanksgiving

As it was not a holiday that Hannibal celebrated, Thanksgiving often went without fanfare in his home. He attended select dinner parties at the weekend that followed, chosen carefully to maintain his projected image, but his dining room retained its place setting for one. 

Months into their acquaintance, Will Graham upset his plans for Thanksgiving by inviting him out to Wolf Trap. Citing his need to improve his social graces, Will’s offer was elegant and heartfelt in direct contrast to his perceived shortcomings. 

Hannibal accepted just as graciously, asking if he could bring anything to help with preparations. 

“Dessert,” was all Will said on the subject, and their conversation about Jack’s latest killer continued. 

~.~

When Hannibal entered Will’s home, he could see the stress lines around Will’s eyes and the annoyed curve of his mouth. 

Without needing to ask, Will explained, “A friend called and invited herself over for dinner. Then invited two more people over.” 

Hannibal set the dessert he’d brought—Marjolaine—onto the only clear corner of the kitchen counter with practiced ease, although _rude_ echoed in his head like a siren song. “Could you not call them back and explain that you have plans?” he asked unnecessarily; Will wouldn’t have hesitated to say exactly what he felt about his interrupted dinner. 

Will rubbed his forehead, eyes narrowing in further annoyance. “She never hears a word I say and she doesn’t have a cell. She’s on her way and there’s nothing I can do to stop her.” 

Hannibal didn’t believe for a moment that this person was a friend of Will Graham. An acquaintance from work or his past, perhaps, but not anyone Will would deem worthy enough to interact with. “We’ll simply send them away when they arrive,” he offered, though his own imagination was preparing slices of meat and organs. 

The annoyance faded away as Will’s eyebrows rose. “Countering rudeness with rudeness? I wouldn’t have expected that from you.” 

“If rudeness is the only language they know, you have no choice but to use it to communicate with them,” Hannibal explained, then sniffed delicately at the air. “Is the turkey about done? It smells divine.” 

Will snapped to attention, returning to his kitchen and checking on the still cooking dishes. Hannibal watched in appreciation, Will’s confidence and ease dancing between the many pots and seasonings. 

Hannibal had forgotten about Will’s rude guests until he and Will were seated and well into the meal. Even their knocking was rude, impatient and aggressive. Will went to the door but didn’t unlock it, much to Hannibal’s delight.

“I’m sorry you came all this way, but I tried to tell you that I had already invited a guest for dinner, Patty,” Will said through the door. 

“Come on, Willy!” a woman’s cheerful voice, presumably ‘Patty’, wheedled. “What’s the hold up? Marcy and Franklin are looking forward to your cherry smoked turkey.” 

Hannibal watched with interest as Will’s left hand curled into a fist. “You can’t come in. You weren’t invited. There isn’t enough food for five people. You didn’t listen to me. I don’t know how else to explain that you’re not coming in.” 

Hannibal couldn’t make out what Patty said to her companions, but it was friendly and she was laughing. “Willy, if you weren’t ready for us, we could have come later. We’ll just settle in with some wine until dinner’s done.” The door rattled but the lock held. “Hey, this is locked.” 

The set to Will’s jaw tightened and his answers got more clipped. “Yes, it is locked because you are not coming in. I did not invite you. You invited yourselves, and you aren’t welcome here.” He pulled the shade down over the window and turned his back to the door, his expression weary and unhappy.

Hannibal stood and pulled out his chair. “Will, come sit down,” he urged gently, waiting until Will nodded and sat down before bringing over Will’s wine glass. “I had no idea someone who claims to be a friend could be so unbearably rude.” 

He noted the flush of Will’s cheeks as he downed the rest of his glass of wine, but didn’t hesitate to refill Will’s glass. 

Will drank about half before setting the glass down again, sighing heavily. “She’s always been clueless, but it hasn’t really interfered with my life until now, you know? She’s inconvenienced me before, but never to this extent.” Will looked up at him imploringly as a drumbeat began to be tapped out against the windows to the accompaniment of off-key singing. 

Setting his mouth in a firm line, Hannibal asked if there was a back door, and slipped out and around to the front of the house. 

Two people were standing awkwardly in the yard, away from the porch, where a short woman in a green pant suit was still rapping on the glass and singing. 

Hannibal introduced himself quietly to the two people, Marcy and Franklin, who clearly understood that they were intruding on Will’s holiday and offered to leave right away. 

Getting Patty’s attention was a lot harder, and she seemed oblivious as to why Hannibal was there. “So, you’re stuck waiting for Willy to get all the fixings done too, eh?”

Maintaining his veneer of civility—just barely—Hannibal cleared his throat. “No, Miss…Patty, was it? I was enjoying a quiet meal with Will when you interrupted us with your insistence upon being let inside.” 

Not even a glimmer of understanding reflected in Patty’s face. “Well, yeah, that’s where the food is. Now, is Willy going to let us in, or is he gonna continue being rude and leaving us out here in the cold? I’m expecting Thanksgiving dinner _sometime_ tonight!” 

Hannibal’s jaw ticked. “If your intention is to eat a Thanksgiving meal, then I advise you to get back in your car and head into the city, because Will prepared that particular meal for he and I alone tonight.” 

The door clicked open behind Patty and she started to push past Will, but he stood firm and blocked her entry as he shut the door. “Leave.” 

Hannibal couldn’t believe the surprised shock on her face. Surely she had to have some awareness of her surroundings, of her behavior? 

“You invited me out for Thanksgiving dinner and I’m not leaving until I get it!” Patty insisted, nearly stomping her feet in irritation.

Will’s left hand slid into his pants pocket, his gaze flat and leveled directly at her. “I didn’t invite you. You invited yourself. Whatever Hannibal and I don’t eat, I’m feeding to the dogs. There is nothing here for you to eat. Leave.”

Hannibal noted that Marcy and Franklin had started one of the cars and were slowly turning around, heading away from Will’s. Patty was oblivious to their departure. 

“Why didn’t you make enough?” she demanded, trying to see through the window but the blinds were drawn. 

“Leave,” Will repeated, his voice going cold and flat to match his gaze. 

Hannibal placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. “You were not invited. Will has asked you several times to leave. If you don’t leave right now, you will become my next meal.” 

Finally, some light started to seep into her face, along with embarrassed color. “Well, aren’t you just _rude_! Will asked me…”

“I. Told. You. Not. To. Come,” Will reiterated through clenched teeth. “You are ruining my Thanksgiving meal with the friend I _did_ invite. If you’re not off my property in thirty seconds, I’m calling the police on you for trespassing.” 

Hannibal’s hand tightened on Patty’s shoulder and she turned back to him, glowering. Her face froze with that expression as a skewer pierced through her chest, Hannibal stepping aside in the nick of time to avoid her fall to the cold ground. 

He met Will’s gaze warily, but Will stared back at him calmly. “You couldn’t have done that twenty minutes ago?” Hannibal asked while trying to decide whether he had to take care of one body or two. 

“I had to make sure the others were well out of sight,” Will replied. “Couldn’t have witnesses.” 

Hannibal didn’t let a muscle twitch out of place. “What am I, if not a witness?”

Hesitation, then a flicker of a smile crossed Will’s features. “My date for the evening. My _invited_ date, if you’ll recall. Now, it’s fucking cold out here and I, for one, would like to finish the main course so I can sample the dessert you brought. What did you say it was?” 

Deliberately, Will turned to open the door, giving his back to Hannibal. Hannibal let the moment pass, too intrigued by the ease by which Will Graham had ended Patty’s life. “Marjoliane,” he replied instead. “A French delicacy. It’s five layers consist of meringue, chocolate ganache, praline, nuts and coffee-flavored buttercream.” 

“Sounds very elaborate and very delicious. I’m looking forward to trying it,” Will complimented him as he slid back into his chair. “I suspected your hobby a few weeks ago. That line about making your next meal of her confirmed it for me.” 

Hannibal’s heart skipped a beat. He and Will had started a sort of symbiotic thinking pattern over the past few months, but now they were flowing together as if they’d done it their whole lives. “And your own ‘hobby’?” Hannibal asked as he resumed his seat and picked up his wine glass. 

Will raised his glass and they toasted, Will taking sip before answering, “I wasn’t always paid to think about killing people for a living. I’m very good at covering my tracks, much like yourself. Not that I would dare compare myself to the Chesapeake Ripper. I know you detest that name. I can feel how much it pains you.” 

Hannibal touched his fingertip to the handle of the knife at his place setting, feeling the coolness settle into his skin. “Why couldn’t I glimpse this part of you before? Even now, it’s not evident that you just committed murder. Your pupils aren’t even dilated.” 

“Why should they be?” Will replied after another sip of wine. “She was nothing more than an annoyance I should have removed from my life years ago. Your presence granted me the perfect opportunity.” 

“To end her life?” Hannibal queried.

Will’s smile was dark and promising. “To assist you in your work.”


End file.
